Unbearably Cute - April Island Batik Ambassador Challenge

 This month's Island Batik Brand Ambassador was sponsored by the soft toy company, Funky Friends Factory. I picked Izzy the Insomniac Bear because he is super cute and I'm a night owl/bit of an insomniac. And I thought he'd be a great match for my Funky Friend from 2022 -Ollie the Owl.  I used 4 fabrics from the Flour Sack line (great blue and tan flowers). I searched through my Grandma's button box and created a perfect pair of blue buttons. The pattern shows felt for the nose but my sister had wool which worked very well. The nose and mouth really make him come alive!

Izzy the Insomniac Bear

Pattern by Funky Friends Factory

Sandra Starley 2024

Pattern: Izzy the Insomniac Bear, Funky Friends Factory
Fabrics: Island Batik Flour Sack Batiks: (Flour Sack Collection)

Piecing Thread: Aurifil #50 weight

Quilting Thread: Aurifil #50 weight

Needle: Schmetz Quilting Needles 

Pieced by Sandra Starley 

***Fabrics provided by Island Batik, pattern by Funky Friends Factory, thread by Aurifil, Smart Iron by Oliso and needles by Schmetz. ***

I enlarged the pattern a bit (112%) as he is pretty small but then that does make him cute!

I followed the pattern, step by step, and Pauline's photo tutorial and like Pauline, I used a LOT of PINS!  Here's an action shot of sewing the fussy cut foot pad.

 And if this looks like a lot - I should have taken a photo of pinning the front to the back for the final joinder - about 50 pins. This was tucking the arms and legs inside before the final join (see I'm following the photo tutorial).

He looks like a mummy or egg. Now it was time to turn it all right sides out and get a bear.

He definitely needs a lot of stuffing! Hanging out next to my awesome new OlisoSmart Iron.

Okay, lots of stuffing and now for the rhinoplasty aka nose job!

Ready for his close up with his new best friend Ollie!

The pattern is available as an immediate PDF download and so you could start on your own Izzy today! 

If you haven't done any toy or stuffed animal sewing, don't be aftraid. The pattern is very clear and easy to follow. There is even a step-by-step photo tutorial that walks you through the whole process. 

There are oodles of different toy patterns available. Visit my fellow 2024 Island Batik Brand Ambassadors to see their new fabulous Funky Friends:

Brenda Alburl ~ Songbird Designs
Renee Atkinson ~ Pink Tulip Quilting

Megan Best - BestQuilter
Pamela Boatright ~ PamelaQuilts
Susan Deshensky ~ Lady Blue Quilts
Brittany Fisher ~ Bobbin with Brittany

Preeti Harris ~ Sew Preeti Quilts
Mania Hatziioannidi ~ Mania for quilts

Jane Hauprich ~ Stitch By Stitch Custom Quilting
Kim Jamieson-Hirst ~ Chatterbox Quilts

Victoria Johnson ~ Forever Quilting for You
Connie Kauffman ~ Kauffman Designs

Connie Kresin Campbell ~ Freemotion by the River

Emily Leachman ~ The Darling Dogwood
Denise Looney ~ A Quiltery
Leah Malasky ~ Quilted Delights
Maryellen McAuliffe ~ Mary Mack Made Mine

Lisa Pickering ~ Lisa’s Quilting Passion
Sarah Pitcher ~ Pitcher’s Boutique
Lana Russel ~ Lana Quilts

Julia Schweri ~ Inflorescence Designs
Gail Sheppard ~ Quilting Gail

Carol Stanek ~ Stitch with Color
Sandra Starley ~ Textile Time Travels
Jennifer Thomas ~ Curlicue Creations
Suzy Webster ~ Websterquilt